The Magic Of A Good Band Rehearsal

Okay first and foremost, hello. It's my first time blogging.

I'm here just to touch on a very perplexing problem CHSSB is having now --- unfruitful rehearsals that make band practices seem like a total waste of time. What's even worse is that we have a prestigious concert for us not very distant, and this problem here is seriously getting in the way. It's time we did something.

I'm sure every, if not most of you CHSSB musicians are listening to professional recordings of classical music from time to time. Sure the music from your MP3/MP4/ipod whatever sounds extremely pleasing to the ears, they ARE professionals musicians after all. However something is always not understood. How do they produce such beautiful music? Apart from the individual techniques that each and every player has, something else fills that gap, something that we sorely lack.

And now I make my point about having efficient band rehearsals. Even if a band has star players with unparalleled skills, should they fail to work out efficient rehearsals they would meet their own demise. Period. Good band rehersals do work wonders, and is probably the only solution we have now since we're all not professional players, with Sec 1s still learning on their instrument and stuff.

Okay first you would ask yourself if band is or is allowed to be a slack CCA. Then you would look at the sports CCA members, panting their way home after an entire day's training. They're tired..... but what about CHSSB members? The truth is, each and every musician is always dead-tired after a rehearsal, professionals not excluded. So if the sports CCA and even professionals are drained of their energy after training / rehersal, why aren't we? Don't tell me it's because band is not a career to you or is a pathetic CCA. Musicians who give their full best during rehearsals will be tired after that. The Sec 3s have first hand experience.

If we reflect back on the past rehearsals we had, nobody is going to say that they were fruitful. We see some of you slouching totally while playing your instrument. This is not our idea of Professionalism --- and this is not the way to put up an extraordinary concert at the esplanade. In fact, all this imperfections during rehearsals only serve to degrade the reputation of CHSSB. I surely do not want my friends to condemn CHSSB as "a slack CCA".

So basically I'm appealing to those of you who are still lurking in your own fantasies. Band rehearsals are important. The least thing you could do during these rehearsals is to give your fullest attention and focus towards the conductor and the music. You should also have all scores being rehearsed taken OUT of their slides so that you may pen down what the conductor says. It is important to remember what is being said so that we don't rehearse the same thing over and over again to no avail. And finally SIT ---- UP ---- STRAIGHT while playing. I'm assuming you all understood, so any violations will be dealt with seriously. (not by me of course)

So those of you who are still taking band as a casual CCA I hope you snap yourself back into reality. We have a concert not far away waiting for us to give our best at. I'm sure every one of you would want to have a great time and bask in the warm applause and adulation of our fans / audience. So think about it, the professional recording behind your MP3 screen doesn't come for granted, rather, the results of the musician's undivided focus. One day we'll record ourselves with a decent recorder and compare it with the the professional. You'll see what I mean.

Work hard and don't let each other down... For the common good that is Music.